Additionally, we would like to encourage every student to read a book of choice over the summer.

Students may select ANY BOOK within the appropriate grade span for grades 9-12.  We have included some recommended titles below for your consideration, but really any book will do!  These selections have been identified as staff picks and include widely-read, celebrated and award-winning options.   Other titles are available in our BMC Durfee High School SORA digital library, which also can be accessed via cellphone if needed.  Also, if a student prefers a hard copy of the book,  we recommend visiting our local bookstores and libraries as we have notified them about the titles we have recommended this year as well.

Should you decide to participate, here’s what you need to do:

1. During the summer, students should complete a MOMENTS SHEET assignment, once they have finished reading their chosen book.

2. Within the first two weeks of school, all students will be given a baseline writing assignment that will be used to inform teaching and learning moving forward. 

3. Those students who engage in summer reading - as evidenced by their MOMENTS SHEET and written response -  will be awarded a  “summer reading extra credit” grade of 100% for their effort which will be calculated into their Q1 grade. 

4. Students who do not elect to participate in summer reading will still be expected to produce a baseline writing sample, but will not be expected to submit a MOMENTS SHEET for extra credit.

Why should I make the effort?

• Reading for pleasure, and being awarded extra credit, will help you boost your English grade for Term 1. 

Here are some titles we recommend: 

• We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

• Illuminae: The Illuminae files, Book 1 by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

• I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives by Alifirenka & Ganda

• Rich Dad, Poor Dad for Teens by Kiyosaki & Lechter

See PPT below for more info!